Chandigarh, also called the City Beautiful, is a city in India
that serves as the capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana, and is a union territory
of India. The name translates from Hindi to English as "The Fort of Chandi",
Chandi being a Hindu Goddess.

Known internationally for its architecture and urban planning, Chandigarh is home
to numerous architectural projects of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Matthew Nowicki,
and Albert Mayer. The city boasts a high standard of living with the highest per
capita income in the country and tops the list of Indian States and Union Territories
with a Human Development Index of 0.674.

Citizens of the city beautiful enjoy the highest democratic rights in the country
with least interference from any quarter. Chandigarh, with a population of 10,54,686
located in 241 miles (388 Kms) north of New Delhi, is one of the most visible examples
of planned city among all the new cities of India.

The city is located at bottom of the picturesque Shivalik range of the towering
Himalayas. Two seasonal rivers, Sukhna Cho and Patiala Rao, bound it
on east and west respectively; the area is flat, but with a gentle slope ideal for
drainage. It has an extreme temperatures rising to an unbearably hot 45 degrees
Celsius in summer and falling to almost freezing in winter. The city is cosmopolitan
in nature; It is mixed cultured city with people of all classes and creed. Quality
education, professional - colleges, advanced medical facilities here have no parallel.
City has one of the best library networks.

Libraries in Chandigarh have been developed in phases. The first
phase T. S. Central State Library in Sector-17 was established to cater to the reading
needs of the residents of 30 sectors. With the development of more sectors, towards
the South of Dakshin–Marg, it was felt that the T. S. Central State
Library was not enough to meet with the reading requirements of all the residents
of Chandigarh. Furthermore with the development of the third-phase of Chandigarh
and, the coming up of satellite town Mohali, it was felt, all the more necessary
to set up another big public library in the south Chandigarh. With the idea of fulfilling
this need, State Library in the sub-city center in Sector-34 was conceived, as a
hub of creative activities.

State Library – 34, was Inaugurated on 14th August 1995 by H.E. Lt. Gen. Sh.
B. K. N. Chibber (retd.), Administrator Chandigarh and Governor of
Punjab. It was initially started with collections of 5000 books of which about 2000
were gifted from T. S. Central State Library, Sector-17 and rests were received
as donation from the general public.

With the coming up of State Library in Sector-34, which is being developed as city
sub-center, holds promise for lots of cultural and intellectual activities. This
library has in its premises, the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi, Chandigarh, Lalit Kala
Akademi and Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi. The activities of these Akademies
make the environment of the library all the more lively. The library has developed
as the hub of cultural and intellectual activities of Chandigarh.

State Library is an organ of social democracy and an instrument of self-realization.
Library has been characterized, from the beginning, by its commitment to the goals
of promoting and enlightened citizenry; providing the opportunity, materials, encouragement
and stimulation for continuing self education and serving the community inside and
outside the walls.

The library in Sector-34 is housed in a large building spread over an area of
more than 2400 sq. yrd. in the form of three floors. The layout of
its sections is as under:

Its basement houses Children Section, Acquisition Section, Binding Section, a Large
Reading Room and Various Stores.

The ground floor contains a Sprawling Newspaper and Magazine Section along with
a Reading–Room, Lobby and the Office.

The first-floor has the Circulation Section, Technical Section and the Reference
Section besides the various academies of the Chandigarh Art Council.